Most arresting, the gap between the incomes of rich and poor expanded further than it had at any time in the past 40 years.
Its mission to serve the poor expanded throughout the century, often among unpopular areas of medicine, beginning in 1918, when the hospital established a night clinic to treat venereal diseases.
Those proposals include making Medicaid a grant program that would give states greater latitude to set their own standards for health coverage for the poor; expanding use of pretax "health savings accounts" for medical expenses; and providing new tax deductions for individuals who buy their own insurance.
The House of Representatives last week easily passed the sweeping measure that trims food-stamp funding for the poor, expands federal crop insurance, consolidates agricultural conservation programs and ends direct payments to farmers.
Starting in 2014, when Medicaid coverage for the poor expands and subsidies are available for middle-income Americans, an estimated 12 million young adults will have government-subsidized coverage.
It should also tidy up the food-stamps programme, get rid of the marriage penalty for the poor and expand the earned-income tax credit for the working poor.
GAVI has already allocated more than $800 million to help 52 poor countries expand their vaccine coverage.
As written, H.R. 4437 will further divide the country, continue to demonize the poor and expand beyond recognition the definition of what constitutes a federal crime.
This year growth is also likely to be strong, for two reasons.Export sales, which account for around two-thirds of revenues, continue to grow as poor countries expand the range and capacity of their mobile-phone networks.
If your income is lower, the good news is that Medicaid, the government plan for the poor, will expand to cover you plus 14 million other people, but only those making less than 133% of the federal poverty level will be completely covered.
